Tumbling barrel



Juy il., w44@ a.. W. BARNES TUMBLING BARREL Filed Aug. 9, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet l IN'VENTOR F @MQ/al) BYhI'zzx/wl MATTORNEYS Juy 18, 144.

L. W. BARNES TUMBLING BARREL 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 9, 1941 INVEN QR AT i ORNEYS July E8, 194% z w. BARNES TUMBLING BARREL Filed Aug. 9, 1941 3 SheetS--Sheml 3 ENToR Patented July 18, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENToFFlcE.

TUMBLING BARREL Leslie W. Barnes, Long Hill, Conn., assignor to The Baird Machine Company, Stratford, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application August 9, 1941, Serial No. 406,095

11 Claims.

'I'his invention relates to tumbling barrels, such for example as are used for tumbling relatively small pieces of work in finishing operations, and has for an object to provide a construction whereby the driving motor is so arranged with respect to the barrel and the pivot about which it is swung between the tumbling and dumping positions as to give a better counterbalancing effect when in the operative or tumbling position.

Another object is to provide a construction and arrangement whereby the tightness of the driving belt may be adjusted while the motor is running and with which it is possible to change the speed of the tumbling while the device is operating to get the best tumbling effect for the material being treated.

A further object is to provide a construction and arrangement whereby more uniform lubrication is secured and the whole device is self-lubricated.

Still another object is to eliminate the oil leaks which occur around the worm shaft when such shaft is situated below the oil level in an oil sump.

With the foregoing and other objects in view as will be apparent from the following descrip tion, I have devised the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification. It, however, is to be understood lhat I am not limited to the specic details of construction and arrangement shown, but may employ various changes and modifications within the scope of the invention.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the device;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation looking from the right of Fig. l-;

Fig. 3 is a partial side elevation and partial vertical longitudinal section, the section being substantially on the center of the main drive shaft, as indicated by line 3-3 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 4 is a detail section substantially on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a partial front elevation and partial section, the section being substantially on the line 5-5 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 6 is a partial side elevation and partial section of an adjustable drive pulley that may beempoyed.

In the drawings the barrel and the associated parts are for convenience shown in the horizontal position which is intermediate the normal working position in which the barrel is tipped upposition in which the free open end of the barrel is tipped downwardly.

The barrel comprises a supporting stand or vbase I0 in the lower partl of which may be formed compartments II for mounting the electrical starting and control mechanism or devices for the motor, and these may be covered or closed by suitable cover plates I2. The stand or base inwardly at the desired angle and the dumping cludes laterally spaced upwardly extending arms I3 between which is pivoted a housing I4 carrying the tumbling barrel I5 and the operating mechanism therefor. This housing has a pair of laterally spaced bearings I6 on a pivot shaft I1 extending between the upright supporting arms I3. This mounts the housing with the barrel and the associated parts so that they may be swung about the pivot I1 in a vertical plane to tilt the barrel to the proper operative position and to swing it between this position and the dumping position.

The barrel I5 is mounted at its closed or Ilarger end upon the flange I8 by any suitable means, such as bolts or screws I8a. The ange is mount- -ed on the main operating shaft I9 mounted in the housing I4. The housing has a rearward extension 20 in the rear end portion of which is mounted an antifriction bearing 2I for the rear end of the shaft, this bearing being a blind bearing sealed and closed from the outside by the cap 22. The flange I8 is mounted on the other end of the shaft I9 and is fastened thereto so as to rotate with the shaft by set screws 23 and one or more keys 24. 'I'he main bearing 25 which is preferably an antifriction roller bearing, is mounted directly on the hub 26 of the flange I8 and is supported in the housing I4. This bearing carries the greater portion of the weight of the barrel and contents, and as it is mounted directly on the ange and not on the shaft it takes the weight or load oil' the shaft permitting the use of a smaller shaft and preventing bending of the shaft.

. The shaft I9 is driven by a worm gear 2l keyed or otherwise fastened to the shaft and meshing with a worm 28 on a shaft 29 extending transversely of the shaft I9 and located 'above this shaft. The shaft 29 is mounted in antifriction bearings 3U and 3| supported in the side walls of the housing I4, bearing 3|) being a blind bearing closed from the outside by a cap 32. The end portion of shaft 29 extends through t-he bearing 3l and carries a grooved pulley 33 on which runs a V driving belt 34. The lower portion of the housing is formed to provide a sump 35 to carry a heavy bath of oil in which the lower portion of the wrm gear 21 runs. This is permitted because the worm 28 is on the top and therefore it bearings for this shaft. As the device operates the gear 21 carries the oil to the worm 28 which throws oil outwardly in both directions. Part of this oil is thrown to the wall 36 from which it runs downwardly into the main bearing 25. Projecting laterally from this wall 36 may be a wall 3l having a low upwardly extending flange 38 at its free edge spaced from the wall 36 forming a trough 39 to collect and retain a part of the oil collecting and running down the wall 36, but oil running over the edge ofthe flange 38 will run down to the ledge 40 and through suitable openings 4| to the bearing 25. At one end of the trough 39 is a passage 42 (Figs. 3 and 4) running to the bearing 3| to carry part of the oil to this bearing to provide free lubrication thereof, but to prevent the oil leaking out through this bearing a free passage 43 leads from the inner end of passage 42 back into the housing. There may also be provided another passage 44 closed at its outer end but open at its inner end and located on the opposite side of the bearing to collect surplus oil passing from the bearing and carry it back in the housing. In the intermediate portion of the trough 39 there may be a cross wall 45 to divide the trough so that part of the oil therein will be carried to the other bearing 30 on the other end of the shaft 29. This prevents all the oil being carried to one bearing should the housing or the trough be slightly inclined in one direction or the other and insures proper lubrication of both bearings.

The opening in the housing adjacent the main bearing 25 may be sealed by any suitable means to prevent leakage of oil therethrough, such for example as a flexible packing 46 mounted in a groove in the housing and having a flange portion engaging the neck of the flange i8, and held in placeby any suitable means such as the plate 41 fastened to the housing.

Oil thrown by worm 28 to the right as viewed in Fig. 3 will collect on and run down the opposite side wall 36a and the inner surfaces of extension to the bearing 2|. This will be especially true when the housing and barrel is inclined so the barrel is in the upper or tumbling position at which time the bearing 2| is lower. A dam or wall 20a is provided at the inlet of extension 20 so that when the housing and barrel is tipped downwardly to the dumping position this wall will retain sufficient oil so that when the barrel is again raised to the tumbling position and the housing tipped with bearing 2| downward this oil will run into bearing 2| and keep it lubricated until more oil can collect on wall 36a from the worm and run down to the bearing.

The shaft 29, and therefore the shaft I9 and the barrel, is driven from an electric motor 48 munted on the housing on the opposite side of the pivot I1 from the barrel so as to counterbalance it. It is mounted on a support 49 hinged to the housing at 58 which is adjacent the rear edge of the support. For this purpose the support is provided with downwardly extending ears 5| hinged at 50 to ears 52 on the housing. Means is provided on the housing connected to the support 49 at its forward end to raise and lower the forward portion of the support to adjust its *inclination and thereby by swinging the motor and itsdrive shaft 53 about the pivot 50 to vary the distance of this shaft and the drive pulley 54 carried thereby from the shaft 29 and its pulley 33 tothus adjust the tightness of the belt 34.4 II'his adjusting means comprises an internally threaded sleeve 55 pivoted to the support 49 at 56 between downwardly extending ears 51 on this support.l Threaded into the sleeve 55 is an adjusting screw 58 passing through the rearwardly extending lug 59 on the housing and to the lower end of which is secured an adjusting hand wheel 60. Between the boss 6| on the hand wheel and the bearing 62 in the lug 5.8 is a fairly heavy spring 63 to'form a friction, and secured to the screw 58 above the lug 59 and the bearing thereon is a collar 64. The weight of the motor and the force of spring 63 on the adjusting rod or screw puts enough tension or pressure and friction on the collar 64 so that it stays in any position to which it is adjusted without any separate holding or locking means. This, therefore, permits easy and ready operation of the hand wheel 66 andv easy and ready adjustment of the inclination of the support 49 and, therefore, the position of the motor 4B while the motor and the apparatus is running. It is thus not necessary to stop the device to effect these adjustments.

The driving pulley 54 mounted on and driven by the motor shaft 53 is an adjustable pulley, the side flanges of the tapered groove being adjustable toward and from each other, as shown more clearly in Fig. 6. The side flanges are indicated at 65 and 66, the flange 65 having a hub on the shaft 53 so as to be slidable thereon, and the Iflange 66 having a. hub 68 slidable on the hub 61 with springs 69 and cams 1D tending to force them together and each enclosed in laterally spaced shells 1|. 'Ihe opposed surfaces of the flanges 65 and 66 are tapered to provide a V 'l2 for the V belt 34 and it will be evident that if the motor is shifted farther away from the shaf t 29 and pulley 33 to tighten the belt 34 it will forc the flanges 65 and 66 apart somewhat permitting the belt to move inwardly. as for instance to the dotted line position 34a, thus decreasing the effective diameter of this driving pulley and reducing the speed of therpulley 33 and therefore the speed of the barrel. If the motor is swung in the opposite direction reducing the tension on the belt the flanges 65 and 66 will be shifted toward each other by the springs and cams thus increasing the effective diameter of the pulley and increasing the speed at which the pulley 33 and the barrel will be driven. Thus with this combination and arrangement the operator can readily adjust the speed at which the barrel is driven while the device is operating and thus adjust the speed of the barrel for the most effective tumbling operation for the articles being treated without stopping it. This is important because certain Work tumbles better at certain speeds depending on sizes, weights, materials, shapes, etc.

The device for swinging and adjusting the housing with the barrel and motor about the pivot |1 -comprises a rack segment 13 secured to the housing. For this purpose the housing may have a downwardly extending extension or rib 14 to which the segment 13 is fastened by any suitable means, such as the screws 15. Secured rying a worm 19 meshing with the rack 13.

2,353,637 in the capacity of the machine, and can be swung' to the inclined position with the free end of the barrel up for the tumbling operation or with the free end down for the dumping, and of course to any intermediate position desired. The limit of the upward inclination for the center of the shaft I9 is indicated approximately by broken line 8| (Fig. 3) and the limit of the downward tipped position by the similar line 82. It is to be noted that with the motor mounted above the shaft I9 as shown, when the device is swung to carry the barrel to the upper inclined position, which is in position for normal tumbling operation, the center of the motor will be substantially on a level with the pivot Il which will give greatest leverage for the weight of the motor with respect to this pivot and therefore give its greatest counterbalancing effect for the barrel and its load in this position, thus facilitating shifting of the barrel and also reducing the strain on the mechanism `holding it in this position.

From the above it will be seen that the device is self-lubricating from the sump 35 and the oil is carried by the worm gear to the worm and distributed by it to various walls and passages whereby it is effectively distributed to all the bearings to insure proper lubrication; that the motor is so mounted as to secure the greatest leverage and maximum counterbalance for the barrel, its load and associated parts, and that it is so mounted that its support may be readily adjusted while the-machine is in operation to adjust the tension of the belt and thus adjust the speed of operation of the barrel for the most effective tumbling operation without stopping the operation of the device; that no separate locking or holding means is required to hold the motor in the adjusted position, and that the main bearing by being mounted on the hub of the flange carrying the barrel instead of on the shaft removes the weight of the barrel and load from the shaft. As the pivot I1 about which the barrel and associated mechanism swings is on the bottom under the main shaft, the barrel does not have to be swung through as large an arc to get the desired angle because the radius can be made shorter, thus decreasing the time and effort required in swinging the barrel to different angular positions.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. A tumbling barrel comprising a stand, a housing mounted on said stand to swing in a vertical plane, a main drive shaft in the housing, a barrel for the work mounted on the shaft, a worm gear on the shaft, said housing having a sump for oil below the shaft into which the lower part of the gear extends, bearings in the housing for the shaft on opposite sides of the gear, a worm meshing with the gear at the upper part thereof above the shaft, inner walls of the housing being arranged to collect oil thrown laterally by the worm and conduct it to the bearings, and means for driving the worm.

2. A tumbling barrel comprising a housing mounted'to swing in a vertical plane, a main drive shaft in the housing, a ange mounted on the shaft, a barrel'mounted on the flange, a main antifriction bearing mounted directly on the flange and in the housing, a second bearing for the shaft in the housing, a worm gear on the shaft between the bearings, an hoil sump in the lower part of the housing in which the lower part of the gear runs, a worm meshing with the gear at the upper part thereof, inner walls of the housing being arranged to collect oil thrown out by the worm and conduct it to the bearings, and means for driving the worm.

3. A tumbling barrel comprising a housing mounted to swing in a vertical plane, a main drive shaft in the housing, a support for a barrel on the forward end of the shaft, a main bearing for the shaft and support at the forward part of the housing, said housing having a rearward extension enclosing the rear end portion of the shaft, a bearing for the shaft in said extension, a, worm gear on the shaft between the extension and the first bearing, an oil sump in the lower part of the housing in which the lower part ofthe gear runs, a worm meshing with the upper part of the gear, said housing having inner walls arranged to collect oil thrown out by said worm and conduct it to said extension to lubricate the bearing therein, a dam wall in said extension forwardly of the bearing to retain oil when the forward ends of the housing and shaft are tipped downwardly and means for driving the worm.

4. A tumbling barrel comprising a, housing mounted to swing in a vertical plane, a main shaft extending in a generally horizontal direction, a support for a barrel at the forward end of the shaft, bearings for the shaft in the housing, said housing having a rearward extension for the rear end of the shaft with one of the bearings in said extension, a worm gear on the shaft forwardly of said extension, an oil sump in the lower part of the housing in which the lower portion of the gear runs, a worm meshing with the upper part of the gear, inner walls of the housing being arranged to collect oil thrown laterally by the -worm and conduct it to the extension, an upwardly extending dam wall on the bottom of the extension at the forward part thereof to retain oil for the bearing in the extension when the forward end of the housing is tipped downwardly, and means for driving the worm.

5. A tumbling barrel comprising a housing mounted to swing in a vertical plane, a. main shaft extending in a generally horizontal direction, a support for a barrel at the forward end of the shaft, bearings for the shaft in the housing, a

worm gear on the shaft, an oil sump in the lower part of the housing in which the lower part of the gear runs, a second shaft extending. transversely of the first shaft and located above it, a worm on the second shaft meshing with the gear, bearings for the second shaft in the housing, an inwardly and upwardly extending wall on the inner side of a side wall of the housing to collect oil thrown laterally by the worm and forming a trough extending longitudinally of said second shaft to conduct oil to the bearings for this shaft, and means for driving the second shaft.

6. A tumbling barrel comprising a housing mounted to swing in a vertical plane, a main shaft in the housing extending in a generally horizontal direction in said plane, a barrel on the forward end of the shaft, a worm gear on the shaft, an oil sump in the lower part of the housing in which the gear runs, a second shaft above the gear extending transversely of the main shaft, bearings for the opposite ends of the second shaft in the housing, a worm on the second s haft meshing with the gear, one of the inner upright walls of the housing at one side of the worm being arranged to collect oil thrown out by the worm, a trough on said wall to receive said oil and extending longitudinally of the second shaft, there being a conduit leading from this trough through a wall of the housing adjacent one of the bearings to conduct oil from the trough to the bearing, a

second conduit leading from the first conduit back into the housing to conduct surplus oil back into the housing, and means for driving the second shaft.

7. A tumbling barrel comprising a housing, a main drive shaft in the housing, a barrel on said shaft, driving means for the shaft including a pulley, a motor, a support for the motor pivotally mounted on the housing, a driving pulley on the motor, a driving belt running over said pulley, and means for swinging the support on its pivot to shift'I the motor to vary the tension of the belt comprising an upright adjusting screw having threaded connection with the support, a bearing for the screw on the housing, a collar on the screw resting on said bearing, a hand wheel for turning the screw located below the bearing, and a spring between the wheel and bearing tending to press the collar against the bearing and form a friction to hold the screw in adjusted positions.

8. A tumbling barrel comprising a barrel for holding the work, means for operating the barrel comprising spaced pulleys, a motor including a shaft mounting one of the pulleys, a pivoted support for the motor, a belt running between the pulleys, means for swinging the support on\ its pivot to shift the motor to vary the tension of the belt comprising an adjusting screw connected with said support, a stationary bearing for the screw, a stop collar on the screw engaging one side of the bearing, an operating handle on the screw on the other side of the bearing, and a coiled spring on the screw between the handle and the bearing and tending to press the collar against the bearing and create friction to hold the screw in adjusted positions.

9. A tumbling barrel comprising a housing, a main shaft in the housing extending in a generally horizontal direction, a barrel on the forward end of theshaft, a worm gear on the shaft, an oil sump in the lower part of the housing into which the lower part of the gear extends, a second shaft above the gear extending transversely of the main shaft, bearings for the opposite ends of the second shaft in the housing, a worm on the second shaft meshing with the gear, one of the inner upright walls of the housing at one side of the worm being arranged to collect oil thrown out by the worm, a trough on said wall to receive said oil and extending longitudinally of the second shaft, there being a conduit leading from this trough through a wall of the housing adjacent one of the bearings to conduct oil from the trough to the bearing, a second conduit leading from the first conduit back into the housing to conduct surplus oil back into the housing, a passage in said wall on the opposite side of the bearing extending longitudinally of the shaft, said passage being open on the side toward the bearing to receive surplus oil therefrom and closed atits outer end but opening at its inner end to the housing to conduct this oil back into the housing, and means for driving the second shaft,

10. A tumbling barrel comprising a housing, a main shaft in the housing extending in a generally horizontal direction, a barrel on the forward end of the shaft, a worm gear on the shaft, an oil sump in the lower part of the housing into which the lower part of the gear extends, a second shaft above the gear extending transversely of the main shaft, bearings for the opposite ends of the second shaft in the housing, a worm on the second shaft meshing with the gear, one of the inner upright walls of the housing at one side of the worm being arranged to collect oil thrown out by the worm, a trough on said wall to receive said oil and extending longitudinally of the second shaft to conduct oil to the bearing, a passage in the wal1 of the housing at one side of the bearing extending longitudinally of the shaft, said passage being open on the side toward the bearing to receive surplus oil therefrom and closed at its y,outer end and opening at its inner end into the housing to conduct this oil back into the housing, and means for driving the second shaft.

11. A tumbling barrel consisting of a self contained unit including a base, a support, means mounting the support on the base to swing in a vertical plane about a horizontal axis, an open ended barrel to hold articles being tumbled and constructed to permit inspection of the articles while running, means mounting the barrel on the support to rotate about an axis extending longitudinally of the barrel and inclined to the horizontal during the tumbling Operation, manually controlled means operable to swing the support to adjust the angle of inclination of the barrel while the barrel is running and to retain the support in different adjusted positions, a motor mounted on the support for driving the barrel, and a driving connection from the motor to the barrel including means carried by the support operable while the barrel is rotating and tumbling the articles to vary the speed of rotation of the barrel whereby the tumbling effect may be varied and adjusted during the tumbling operation on the articles.

LESLIE W. BARNES. 

